Being quite prepared for the journey, we bade adieu to our friends and family, and set off in a genteel equipage for that city, so justly called the refuge for the destitute, Madrid. I had entirely broken with my father-in-law, Don Andrea, on the occasion of my second marriage, which I had contracted contrary to his advice. I thought no more of him; and as to my creditors, as I had still two years before me, I troubled myself but little on that head, nothing doubting, that before they could legally annoy me again, I should either make some lucky hit, or my wife’s beauty would enable us to form, far enough out of their reach, a solid establishment. A poor devil of a merchant from Alicant was the first who fell into our snares. Unfortunately for him, he had joined us on our route, and having seen Donna Maria, conceived a violent love for her. We clearly perceived this, when having arrived at Madrid, he compelled us, as it were, to stop at the inn where he lodged; and he assured us we should find every thing most comfortable. “The landlady,” said he, “is one of the best women in the world. She has most excellent apartments, and a most famous cook.” There was no resisting the earnestness of his entreaties, which sufficiently betrayed the goodness of his intentions. We were, therefore, easily persuaded, and were conducted to the inn, where we were exceedingly well received by the landlady, who appeared to us to be really respectable, and very much the friend of the merchant. She allotted to us one of the best apartments in the house, and tendered her services most obsequiously on any occasion that we might require them. Our travelling companion requested that we would leave to him the care of providing a good supper for us; in which office he acquitted himself like a rich man who wished only to please. He spared nothing during the meal to gain my good graces. He paid much more attention to me than to my wife, perhaps imagining that I was the most likely to oppose his design. After supper, I inquired what was to pay, and was answered that every thing was settled. I was overjoyed; but to let him see that I knew how to treat as well as he did, I invited him to dine with me the next day, and in the mean time sent orders to the cook to prepare an excellent dinner for three persons. It is true, that I fully intended he should pay for it; and, accordingly, no sooner was dinner over, than I went out under pretence of having some important business at the court end of the town, requesting him to excuse me, and to be so kind as to keep my wife company in my absence. This exactly suited him as well as me. Donna Maria, although sufficiently adorned by her natural beauty, had passed the whole morning in adding to it all the charms that could be borrowed of art, so that she appeared indeed more lovely than usual. She proposed to play to pass the time, and won a hundred ducats of our visitor, which he was obliged to lose to her out of gallantry.